Understanding pathophysiology of pain and optimising analgesic treatment approaches

We are seeking an outstanding PhD student who will work as part of our research team to undertake projects in the area of neuropharmacology and pain.

This project aims to understand the molecular mechanisms of cancer therapy-induced pain (also called chemotherapy-induced neuropathy (CIN).

Sensory neurons are fundamental for our interaction with the external world by detecting stimuli including cold, heat, touch, pressure, vibration and tissue injury. These external stimuli are then transformed into electrical signals through specialised molecules that detect temperature, mechanical stimulation and various chemicals. Although significant progress has been made towards determining the molecular identity of selected receptors and ion channels involved in sensory perception, our understanding of how these contribute to sensory perception and, in particular, pain is limited. Specifically, sensory neurons operate in a finely tuned microenvironment, surrounded by immune cells and glial cells, and there is only a limited understanding of how these cells interact with each other and how it contributes to pain pathology.

Cancer drugs (chemotherapeutic drugs) have transformed cancer treatment, leading to substantial increases in life expectancy for malignancies. However, about 60-80% of all cancer patients experience severe treatment-related CIN arising from the aberrant function of peripheral neurons, which can persist for decades and adversely affect long-term quality of life. Additionally, neuropathies in cancer patients are often dose-limiting or require cessation of cancer treatment, thus compromising the chance of curing the patient. Unfortunately, there are currently no effective treatments for CIN caused by chemotherapy. Therefore, novel and evidence-based treatments for chemotherapy-induced motor neuropathies are urgently needed.

In this project, the student will learn and apply state-of-the-art methods such as high-resolution microscopy, gene expression studies, in-vivo rodent models and behavioural testing, pharmacology and immunology methods to delineate the mechanism of CIPN and to identify novel therapeutic targets.

Handling of rodents on a daily basis during this project is absolutely required.

The Institute for Molecular Bioscience is one of UQ’s flagship research institutes and a global destination for drug discovery and development. From high-performance computing, Lattice Light Sheet Microscopy and other forms of laser imaging to NMR, mass spectrometry, and state-of-the-art animal facilities, the IMB has a range of research infrastructure facilities that create unparalleled opportunities to afford breakthrough discoveries in fundamental and applied sciences. Of particular relevance to this project, the team’s laboratories house sophisticated behavioural equipment, that permit assessment CIN following treatment with radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The team have a global reputation for excellence in sensory neuroscience and cancer treatments, with capabilities including automated electrophysiology, extracellular recordings of propagated action potentials from the skin-saphenous nerve preparation and high-content imaging of dissociated sensory neurons that are ideal for interrogating neuro-inflammatory mechanisms of CIN.